Associate Director, Capability Transformation
The Aerospace Corporation
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
The Aerospace Corporation in Chantilly, VA is seeking an Associate Director to lead digital transformation efforts for Aerospace and government customers, focusing on M&S software, data platforms, agentic AI workflows, cloud and HPC.
You will define roadmaps, governance, and standards, build high‑performing teams, and liaise with senior DoD, NNSA and civil space stakeholders to balance innovation with mission-critical requirements.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in STEM or related technical discipline.
- 10+ years of increasing responsibility in software or digital transformation.
- 7+ years in leadership managing technical teams and programs.
- Experience with DoD/NNSA/civil space programs is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Lead strategic digital transformation initiatives and roadmaps for Aerospace and government customers.
- Translate evolving mission needs into actionable technical strategies and investment priorities.
- Define governance frameworks, technical standards, program management, and decision processes for digital initiatives.
- Build and lead high-performing teams across M&S software integration, data engineering, DevSecOps, cloud, and AI/ML.
- Foster relationships with senior government stakeholders across defense, intel, and civil space programs.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space. The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation's space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you'll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space. The Digital Innovation Division (DID) is accountable for generating and executing integrated strategies, providing governance, and managing internal investments that form the foundation of Aerospace's digital transformation.
The Digital Innovation DivisionDID is seeking an experienced and visionary Associate Director to lead digital transformation efforts for Aerospace Corporation and its government customers. This management role requires navigating significant ambiguity and complexity as we internally modernize enterprise capabilities across Modeling & Simulation (M&S) software, Data Management Platforms (DMP)data platforms, agentic AI workflows, cloud and high-performance computing environments, and mission-critical applications across multiple classifications and platforms environments. You will provide strategic direction to technical teams driving integration of next-generation digital capabilities, enable frameworks for digital initiatives, build relationships with senior DOD, NNSA, and civil space stakeholders, and develop integrated strategies that balance innovation with mission critical requirements for the space enterprise. This role requires the ability to operate effectively where requirements are evolving, stakeholder needs are diverse, and the path forward must be discovered through collaboration, and iterative problem-solving. Inherent in this job will be opportunities to significantly influence the future of digital capabilities for both the government and the Aerospace Corporation.
This is a fulltime position that requires 100% onsite work in Chantilly, VA; El Segundo, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; or Huntsville, AL
Lead strategic digital transformation initiatives. Define and execute integrated digital transformation roadmaps for Aerospace and government customers, with focus on modernizing M&S workflows, enterprise data management, agentic AI capabilities, and software integration across cloud and HPC environments. Translate ambiguous rapidly evolving mission needs into actionable technical strategies and investment priorities. For external customers you will lead development of strategies, roadmaps, requirements and designs for organizations looking to become digital. Provide leadership and governance. Establish governance frameworks, technical standards, program management, financial management and decision-making processes for digital initiatives spanning multiple programs, classifications, and customer organizations. Balance innovation velocity with risk management, security, and compliance requirements appropriate to national security space missions. Build and lead high-performing teams. Influence, develop, and retain technical talent across capability areas including M&S software integration, data engineering, DevSecOps, cloud architecture, and AI/ML. Foster culture of technical excellence, experimentation, and collaboration. Mentor team leads and provide career development guidance. Serve as a customer liaison. Build trusted relationships with senior government stakeholders across defense, intel, and civil DOD, NNSA, and civil space programs. Proactively identify customer needs, coordinate across Aerospace divisions, and ensure digital transformation efforts align with mission priorities and operational timelines. Represent Aerospace digital capabilities at forums and technical working groups. Drive adoption and organizational change. Develop and execute strategies to accelerate adoption of modern digital capabilities across Aerospace and customer organizations. Establish communities of practice, measure value delivery through metrics and performance indicators, and manage change across large, complex organizations with established processes and cultures. Integrate across pillars and programs. Provide integrated perspective that incorporates needs of M&S software development, enterprise data management, infrastructure, security, and mission operations. Ensure strategies reflect consistent, balanced approaches that serve the entire space enterprise rather than individual programs or technical domains. Champion modern engineering practices. Promote software engineering best practices including version control, containerization, automated testing and validation, infrastructure as code, and DevSecOps principles. Drive maturity of CI/CD pipelines, software factories, and development workflows to accelerate delivery and improve credibility.
Minimum Requirements (Associate Director – Digital Transformation): Bachelor's degree in STEM or other technical discipline 10 or more years of increasingly responsible professional experience in software engineering, systems engineering, or digital transformation roles, especially related to digital engineering (DE), M&S, cloud, data, and AI technologies 7+ years in leadership roles managing technical teams and programs, with demonstrated success building and developing high-performing teams Proven ability to operate effectively in high-ambiguitydynamic environments with evolving requirements, diverse stakeholder needs, and competing priorities across multiple programs and organizations Understanding of digital transformation in complex, mission-critical environments including M&S software, data management platforms, cloud and HPC computing, DevSecOps, CI/CD pipelines, and emerging AI/ML technologies Effective communication skills with the ability to engage with senior leadership, technical teams, and diverse stakeholders across multiple disciplines and classification levels. Proven ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly and build consensus across organizational boundaries. Track record establishing technical strategies, frameworks, and standards that drive adoption across large organizations Experience working with Department of Defense, NNSA, Intelligence Community, or civil space programs in technical advisory or delivery capacity Demonstrated ability to acquire technical support from appropriate corporate resources and coordinate across organizational boundaries This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the US government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:
- Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in STEM or other technical discipline
- 15+ years of professional experience with deep expertise in aerospace, defense, or national security digital transformation
- Experience in space domain modeling, simulation, and analysis across mission phases (design, operations, mission planning)
- Demonstrated success leading large-scale digital transformation programs across multiple customer organizations with varying requirements and classification levels
- Expertise with cloud service providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) and platforms, data management solutions, and AI/ML service offerings in government environments
- Experience in management, innovation labs, or digital transformation practices with track record of organizational change delivery
- Knowledge of DevSecOps practices, Authority to Operate (ATO) processes, and security compliance in classified environments
- Direct experience with data governance, metadata management, ASOT principles, and enterprise data platform implementations
- Experience with software factories, platform engineering, and internal developer platform strategies
- Track record building communities of practice and driving adoption of new technologies across resistant or established organizations
- Demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and alignment across multi-organizational teams with competing priorities and timelines
- Current DoD Top Secret and SSBI/SCI Clearance
The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. (Min - Max) $168,200.00 - $252,400.00 Pay Basis: Annual
- Operate Strategically
- Lead Change
- Engage with Impact
- Foster Innovation
- Deliver Results
Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:
Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type. A few highlights include:
- Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
- Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
- Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
- 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
- Flexible spending accounts
- Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
- Relocation assistance
- Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career
- Education assistance programs
- An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect
The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at peoplemangmnt.mailbox@aero.org . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.
The Aerospace Corporation has over 26 locations nationwide, which allows us to build a workforce that will nurture the best ideas, and generate the most novel innovations and solutions to our nation’s toughest space enterprise challenges.
Right Path Aerospace covers all stages of the space lifecycle, from concept to operations. We believe our people are our most valuable resource and that’s why we propel our employees forward in their careers through ongoing education, training, and professional development.
We can all serve a mission much greater than ourselves, and at Aerospace that is exactly what we do. By hiring the industry’s most preeminent scientists and engineers, Aerospace advances emerging technologies that protect some of the most critical missions on Earth and above it.
U.S. citizenship is required for those positions.
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